Means for operating liquid electric controllers and starters.



R. F. BAERLOOHER. MEANS FOR. OPERATING LIQUID ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS AND STARTERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.12,1913.

1,101,050. Patented June 23,1914

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

R. F. BAERLOCHER.

MEANS FOR OPERATING LIQUID ELECTRIC- CONTROLLERS AND STARTERS.

APPLICATION ITLED NOV 12 1913 Patented June 23, 1914 3 SHEET SHEET 2.

j w/a/vm, War-$3 R. F. BAERLOOHER. MEANS FOR OPERATING LIQUID ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS AND STARTERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV.12,1913.

1,101,050. Patented June 23,1914 v 3 SHEETS SHE-ET 3 %WW/% kf full, clear,

ran STATES ra rsrcr- QEFICE.

ROBERT FRIEDRICH BAEELO JHER, OF BRIGHTON, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR OPERATING LIQUID ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS AN STARTERS.-

Specification of Letters Patent. Ifaigg; June 23, 1914,

Application filed November 12, 1913. Serial No. 890,552.

all whom it may COMM-"r1;

Be it known that 1, Roman:- F. I5AER manna, residing at Brightoin Sussex, England, have invehtcd. certain new and usetul improvements 7 Liquid Electric Controllers and Starters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a and exact description of the nvention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same.

This inventii'in relates to liquid electric controliers and starers, and its object is to provide a reliable means for operating liquid controllers and starters so that the tune taken in starting and accelerating the motor is automatically limited and independent of the speed of operating the-starting lever. This protection is often necessary, especially in the case of large three phase motors for Winders where. if the time of starting and.

accelerating left to the operator, there is a danger of too quick a start and uneven acceicration. Hitherto this protection against too quick and uneven acceleration has been effected by pumping the resistance liquid continuously into a tank containing fixed electrodes; these electrodes being so arranged that the rising liquid gradually de-' creases the resistance in the motor circuit;

the level of the liquid being regulated by a gate valve or sluice, and the time of filling the tank bein limited by the capacity or adjustment of the pump. v

in carrying (fit the present invention I iise controllers with *noving electrodes in place of fixed ones, and the resistance in c1r-' cuit varied b their. movement instead of niaking'usc of rising and falling resistance liquid. The electrodes tend to move by gravity to the full on? or short circuiting position, but they are'l'mlanced by a weight which in air is sufiiciently heavy to return them to tl'ic-ofi' positionl in which all the liquid resistance is in circuit. When this balance weight is partly or wholly submerged in mater, its eliectire weight Is not suthcient to balance the electrodes. Thus I can control the position of the electrodes by suspending the balance weight in a tank in Means for Operating alongside the cintroil'er, and iHOVidi ng means to var the depth of Water in this tank. The manner of eiiect-ing this variation of tliedepth of water in the tank will de pend on Whether or not there isa continuous I water supply available;

The method of carrying out the invention, is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in whichs I v Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation of the apparatus, as adapted for use in places where a continuous supply of Water is available. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus as adapted for use'where no con tinuous water? supply available. .Fig g ii shows n'iodified'forin or Water level control device.

Referring to 1;"the electrode-sari: (1on taincd in the tank 1, and'can be raised from 1 or lowered into the said tank by. means of; the chain 2 passing over the pulleys 3, and being attached to a rod 2 carrying the..ele,c-.. trodes. The chain 2 passes through a hole in the cover of a second tank 4. and carries within this tank t a weight 5,- which can move freely within said tank, thereby raising or, lowering the electrodes in the tankzl.

This weight 0 crates by gravity in such manner that when the tank '4 is empty, the weight falls and raises the electrodes in the resistance liquid which contained in the tank 1. Voter can be run into the tank 4 through the pipe 6 and the valve 7, coinmuvalve 7 and the outlet valve 11 are connected by levers '12, so as to operate in harmony in,- such manner that when the one isopen the**' other is shut, and vice versa, andboth the valves are operated from the starting vhaver iiS taining the electrolyte is water cooled as indicated by the cooling Water. inlet 15 and overflow pipe 16, and by means of the three way top 17, the overflow Water from the 13 by means of the link 14-; ,The tankl. con

I cooling tubes in the tank 1 can either be run to waste or into the tank 4. A stop cock 18 for turning off the water su ply. from the reservoir 8 is also provided, t us cock is also used for regulating the speed of operation. The wiring of the motor circuit is so arranged that when the electrodes are in the full on position no resistance is in circuit, but when the former are raised to the off position, the whole of the liquid resistance is in circuit.

'Fig. 2 shows the same device as adapted for use in places where no continuous sup ply of water is available, and in this case the invention is shown with three liquid resistances and three electrodes, for use with three phase current electric control. The

arrangement for raising and. lowering the.

, chamber 19, formed by the partition 20,

and the weight"5'-, attached by means of chain 2, and pulleys 3, and rods2", as in the previous case to the electrode or electrodes 21, can move freely either up or down in the weight 5', by means of the centrifugalpump 22, and pipe 23. The pump 22 may be driven electrically or in any other convenient manner, the motor switch in this case being linked to the starting handle, or the pump may continuously-operate,- the water returnin to the lower tank either over the'partition 20 or through the valve 11'. The pum in this case may also cause circulation wit in the cooling system. The cooling pipes, for coolin the liquid resistance are shown in Fig. 2 at 15 and 16, while the motor-and its wiring'are indicated at 25.

The 0 ration of the device is as follows: en it is desired to start the motor, water is caused to rise in the chamber containing the balance weight, by either of the two devices above described. This causes the eflective weight of the said balance wei ht to decrease, and it is then no longer a le to hold the electrodes in the olf position. The weight therefore rises and the electrodes descend in the electro lyte. By regulating the. flow of water causing the weight to rise, the speed of starting the motor can be re ulated, the resistance in circuit will diminish as the electrode descends in the electrolyte. When the motor has been stopped, the water is run out lyte of substantially means for automatically controlling the In this de-' connected to said pipe and is hinged therewith on pin 34, said pin forming part of adjustable pipe collar 35. To operate the device the pipe is lowered through link 33, when its angle determines the height of the fluid in the operating tank, which thereforedetermines the speed of the motor. A cook .36 allows the device to be placed out of operative condition. The

following are among the advantages of this method of. construction and operation; firstly the electrolyte is not pumped; secondly no pump is required where a water service is'available. Where no water service is available a much smaller-pump can be used, as only suflicient water. is needed to displace the unbalanced weight; and thirdly the con-- troller occupies less space and can be taken below ground if required in an ordinary pit cage.

I claim 1. The combination, with an electric controller and starter, for an electric motor, having a movable electrode and an electrt) constant. level; of

speed actuation of the said controller and starter substantially independently of the speed of operating the starting device.

2. The'comhination, with an electric controller and starter, for an electric motor, having a movable electrode and an electrolyte of substantially constant level; of a hydraulic regulator operatively connected with the said electrode, and means for varying the supply of liquid to the hydraulic regulator, whereby the movements of the electrode in the electrolyte are controlled automatically.

'3. The combination, with an electric controller and starter, for an electric motor, having a movable electrode and an electrolyte of substantially constant level; of a hydraulic cylinder, 8. weight operatively connected with the electrode and suspended in the said cylinder,'and means for admitting liquid to and discharging liquid from the said cylinder at will to permit the wriilght to operate the electrode automatica y.

4. The combination, with an electric controller and starter, for an electric motor, having a movable electrode and an electrolyte of substantially constant level; of a hydraulic cylinder and a tank for liquid 0peratively connected together, a Weight open t and 1 discharging liquid from the cylinder into the tank. and means for forcing liquid from the said tank into the said cylinder, so that the Hume liquid is used repeatedly to permit the weight to operate the electrode automatically.

In testimony whereof I have afhxed my denature. in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT FRIEDRICH BAERLOCHER. Witnesses:

IIERBER'I l). Jnmsob'.

E. Home. 

